Category: Movement

While Laura Cipullo and the Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition Team work on some new and exciting projects, you may notice less posts on the Eating and Living Moderately Blog. We have created a “blog shelf” below to keep you entertained and educated. Get caught up on the latest nutrition education by clicking on each year below. We will send you nutrition updates, but we will not be inundating your mailboxes on a weekly basis. If you want weekly “love” and inspiration, subscribe to our Mom Dishes It Out blog for weekly posts and recipes. Mom Dishes It Out provides expert advice from mom Registered Dietitians and mom Speech Pathologists on the “how to” of health promotion!

The EALM Blog Shelf

Please feel free to peruse our posts organized by year below. Or take a look at the categories listed at the bottom of the page to find a post in the desired.

Tis the season of food, food and food. So how do we manage our health while entertaining and celebrating? Instead of fearing weight gain or trying for weight loss during the holidays, let yourself maintain your current weight. Think slow and steady wins the race. However this is not a race rather an almost 2 month period of eating and drinking. This year, vow to make the holiday season healthy with family and friends as the focus and these tips to plan a mindful season balanced between food and fitness.

5 Tips Celebrate Health and Holidays

Focus on Family and Friends – Growing up in an Italian family I remember the holidays were about food and family. Instead of making food for 25 people, we made enough for 50 people. Instead of sitting around the fire, we sat around the table. If this was your family, start a new tradition this year. Celebrate you health and the holiday season by focusing on family and friends not food. Have family and friends come over to socialize rather than eat. You can serve food, but don’t center the evening on/around the food and the act of eating all of it.

Plan Fitness – With limited time, shopping exhaustion and colder weather, our fitness routines get displaced. Since moving increases your energy, your mood and your metabolism, this is the last thing you want to give up over the holiday season. Instead, make dates with friends to go yoga together rather than getting drinks. Schedule spin class or any classes that you have to pay for if you miss. This is a great incentive to make sure you attend class.

Make a date. Use you daily planner or PDA to schedule all activities, whether it is food shopping, meal prep, exercise or therapy. If it gets scheduled just like any important meeting, you will set the precedent to ensure this activity gets done.

Slow down and Savor – Being a foodie, I know how hard it is not to celebrate with food. However, you can change your mindset of that of your guests too by hosting smaller more intimate holiday parties. Create small intense flavorful meals. Start the meal off with a prayer, a toast or even a moment of silence to allow you and your guests to refocus, create inner calm, and engage in mindful eating.

Use Your Five Senses: Rather than race through your holiday meal and overeat, be sure to use all 5 senses while eating. Smell your food and think about memories the aroma may conjure up. Touch your food; Is your bread hot and crusty or naturally rough with seeds and nuts? Think about the texture and how it makes you feel. Really look at the plate. Is the food presented beautifully? Are there multiple colors on your plate, there should be. Listen to the food, yes listen to see if the turkey’s skin is crispy or the biscotti crunchy. And finally taste your meal!! Many people eat an entire meal and Can never tell you what it really tasted like. They were too busy talking, or shoveling the food in so they could either leave the dinner table or get seconds. This holiday season, be healthy mentally and physically by truly tasting your food and appreciating each bite. A small amount of food tasted will fulfill you more than a few plates of food you never tasted would.

Healthy and Happy: The Positive Role Team Sports Play on Adolescent GirlsBy Lauren Cohen and Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition Services

Do you remember what middle school was like for you? If you’re like me, you probably try not to remember. Being a teenager is difficult. Between the physical changes, social changes, and mental changes, overwhelming is probably an understatement—and that’s not even including schoolwork! And then there are the girls. The pressure and social anxiety to “fit it” is exacerbated by the feeling that you need to wear the right clothes or carry the right backpack or have the right friends. As many times as we try to profess that all girls feel it (yes, even that “it” girl!), it is an isolating and lonely sensation. While we can’t eliminate the discomfort that comes along with being a teenage girl—we can work to improve it.

New research suggests that team sports may be the answer to helping adolescent girls live happier, healthy lives. While research is continuing to expand our knowledge as to why this is the case, the results show a varied and wide impact. In an essay published by the World Health Organization, the benefits of participation in team sports are classified into five categories; physical, mental, social, intellectual/ educational development and reproductive health.

Physical Health

Physical health is improved in two ways. First, it can reduce the risk for diseases that often affect children and adolescents including diabetes and high blood pressure. Secondly, it can reduce the risk for chronic diseases that often develop later in life including cancer, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Physical activity also continues to prevent childhood obesity, which has a close relationship with adolescent depressive disorders.

Mental Health

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that roughly 11% of adolescents develop depressive disorders by age 18—and girls are twice as likely to have a depressive episode then boys. While that is a scary statistic, it is important to remember that there are many ways to combat and understand depressive disorders. Team sports are one of them. It has a positive effect on a young girl’s physiological well-being and can reduce levels of anxiety and depression. There are new studies that suggest physical activity as a treatment option – since it often acts as an anti-depressant and lowers stress levels.

An article published by the LA Times in April 2014 recently addressed a study suggesting that calling a girl “too fat” by people close to her are more likely to become obese by age 19. The link seems to be emotional—if girls feel bad about themselves, they turn to food for comfort.

Social/Intellectual/Educational Health

With lower levels of stress and increased physical health, studies show an upward trend in academic and intellectual success. There is also a higher rate of interest in graduation from high school and college with a lower rate of dropouts and higher GPAs—particularly in math and science. Socially, these team players experience a sense of belonging, a community, and teammates who share a common interest and goal.

Sexual Health

Limited research also suggests that inclusion in team sports gives young women a sense of pride, respect, and empowerment towards their bodies.

In many settings, adolescents may be encouraged to view their bodies as sexual and reproductive resources for men, rather than sources of strength for themselves. Early studies conducted in the US have found that adolescent girls who participate in sports tend to become sexually active later in life, have fewer partners, and, when sexually active, make greater use of contraception than non-sporting girls.

With increased rates of adolescent pregnancy and poor sexual health & education, the hope that young women will display bodily empowerment and respect is certainly desirable and correlates with participation in team sports.

As we already know, physical activity already has such a wide range of positive impacts that reach from muscle toning to mind toning. When we add the element of team building and comradeship, it really might be the best mixture for adolescent girls. Even if practice is just once a week, sign up! The tools she gains and the resources she learns are the very skills that teach us to live a happy and healthy life.

This coming Saturday night (7/26), thousands of people will walk together for Walk the Walk America’s 2nd Annual NYC Moonwalk. Participants will walk the streets of NYC in a fight against breast cancer. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to speak to some of these participants last month. On June 26th, I spoke with Moonwalk participants about the importance of nutrition when completing a marathon. Please read on to see some of the items we discussed:

Whether you’re running the NYC marathon or your first triathlon, nutrition is an important key to performance excellence. Knowing the best foods to eat before, during, and after you compete is essential for a successful event and, of course, not “bonking out”! Here’s the lowdown for fueling your race.

2 to 3 days before the event:

Consume a meal consisting mostly of carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein plus some amounts of fat; it’s the most favorable repast for athletes before entering a competition. Eat simple, easy to digest (lower in fiber) carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta approximately two to three days before you compete. Louis Burke, PhD, recommends this lower residue intake to minimize intestinal contents —and therefore prevent the need for bowel movements during the event.1 Eating this way is a key element of running free from bloat and gas during the competition.

This meal focuses on carbohydrates because they are digested faster than protein and fat, thus providing the muscles with adequate glucose (sugar) for glycogen stores (your body’s storage form of glucose). This gives athletes enough energy reserves to maintain higher and longer levels of intensity during the event.2 Adequate glucose storage in the muscles will prevent you from experiencing weakness and fatigue when participating in events requiring extra endurance.

Pre-competition meal:

Eating your pre-event meal three to four hours before the game or race is another key element to performing at your very best. A balanced meal will provide you with the maximum available energy you need for competition. Giving your body enough time to digest the meal is key.3

Here are some good examples of pre-competition meals—to be consumed 3 to 4 hours before the event:

Cheerios with low-fat milk and fruit-flavored Greek yogurt with banana

Omelet with cheese and baked hash brown potatoes

White English muffin with avocado and hummus and an applesauce side

Bagel with natural peanut butter and jam

Turkey on white bread with a low-fat yogurt

White pasta with pesto and shrimp

Hydration: 2 cups 2 hoursbefore—and 2 cups during!

Keeping yourself well hydrated both before and during exercise is essential to successful performance. Drinking two cups of fluid (8 oz. per cup) at least two hours before your event can be helpful in preventing dehydration. It’s also important to make sure that you drink another two cups of water for every hour you are competing.5 Preventing dehydration can keep you from feeling fatigued and can prevent your muscles from cramping during your competition. If you’re an athlete participating in an event lasting over an hour, you should also think about electrolyte depletion. Excessive sweating causes you to lose important electrolytes such as sodium and potassium—and can adversely affect your performance. To replace lost electrolytes, consider choosing a sports drink such as Gatorade which will aid in electrolyte repletion and rehydration. Sports drinks usually contain carbohydrates, sodium and potassium. Gatorade (and other sports drinks formulated especially for athletes include water, glucose/sugar and electrolytes) provides the ideal ratio for rehydration and repletion of electrolytes and glycogen stores.6

Recovery foods:

Recovery foods to consume at your post-event meals are just as important as your pre-event meals. During exercise, your body breaks down its muscle glycogen stores. When your body uses the available glucose in your blood, it needs to switch to reserves. It can quickly break glycogen down into glucose which causes the glycogen stores to become depleted. Due to this breakdown, replenishing your body with carbohydrates is crucial for adequate recovery.7 Make sure you eat enough carbohydrates to restore the glycogen in the muscles that was depleted during the event. Protein will help to repair the muscles that were stressed. Antioxidants are also beneficial at this time; they aid in repairing any free radical damage that occurred during your intense exercise. In general, consuming carbs and proteins within thirty minutes of your workout is ideal for muscle recovery. This muscle recovery period will last for about 30 minutes to four hours post exercise.

Here are some post-event meal ideas to help you recover and prepare for your next workout:

On average, it’s recommended that a female athlete (about 5’4” and 140 lbs.) consume approximately 500 grams of carbohydrates and 76 to 89 grams of protein per day. It’s recommended that a male athlete (about 6’0” and 180 lbs.) consume approximately 700 grams of carbohydrates and 98 to 113 grams of protein per day.7

Providing yourself with the proper energy foods both before and after your competition can make a huge difference in your performance. Eating a low residue, carbohydrate rich diet is important for your pre-event meal while eating within thirty minutes of a competition is crucial for your post-event recovery. What you feed your body both before and after competition can be the most important key for turning an adequate performance in your event into an excellent one!

What do you eat before and after an event? What foods work for your body? Do you have any secrets to your success that you can share with our readers?

Don’t miss out on our giveaway! Click here to enter for your chance to win some great fitness prizes!

7. The Position Statement from the Dietitians of Canada, the American Dietetic Association, and the American College of Sports Medicine, Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research in the Winter of 2000, 61(4):176-192. Accessed April 13, 2014.

Breast Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women today. It is estimated that 1 in every 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, equaling a quarter of a million women being diagnosed each year. As many of you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. In effort to raise the awareness of our EALM readers, we wanted to highlight the importance of diet and lifestyle, on not only your overall health, but also in relation to breast cancer.

Photo courtesy of www.nationalbreastcancer.org

The Role of Diet and Lifestyle:

In a recent article featuring Mary Flynn, registered dietitian and co-author of the book “The Pink Ribbon Diet,” she states, “because the majority of breast cancer cases don’t have a genetic link, you have to conclude that lifestyle factors, including diet, play a large role.” The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics takes a similar stance, stating that “while there is no certain way to prevent breast cancer, it has been found that leading a healthy lifestyle can help reduce your risk and boost your odds if you do get breast cancer.”

Risk Factors:

Highlighted below are the risk factors. However, we want to stress that if you find you fall under a few, or more than a few, of these categories it is important not to panic. If you are concerned, please talk with your doctor and follow the recommendations for when and how often to get mammograms. Here are risk factors provided by the Center for Disease Control:

Beginning your menstrual cycle before the age of 12

Starting menopause at a later than average age

Never giving birth

Not breastfeeding post-birth

Long-term use of hormone-replacement therapy

Family history of breast cancer

Previous radiation therapy to the breast/chest area, especially at a young age

Being overweight, especially in women of the postmenopausal age

What About Insulin?

An article written by Franco Berrino, et al., states that elevated serum insulin levels are associated with an increased risk of recurrence in breast cancer patients1. The authors also found each of the following to be associated with breast cancer incidence: high plasma levels of glucose (>110 mg/100 mL), high levels of triglycerides (>150 mg/100 mL), low levels of HDL cholesterol (<50 mg/100 mL), large waist circumference (>88 cm), and hypertension (SBP > 130 mmHg or DBP >85 mmHg). The article also states that those with both metabolic syndrome and breast cancer have the worst prognosis.1 In addition, recent research has shown significant positive associations between obesity and higher death rates for a number of cancers, including breast cancer2.

In other research, omega 3 fats (alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, DHA) have been shown in animal studies to protect from cancer, while omega 6 fats (linoleic acid, arachidonic acid) have been found to be cancer-promoting fatty acids. Flax seed oil and DHA (most beneficial from an algae source) can both be used to increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acids. DHA originating from a marine source was found to be the most efficient source. To learn more about fatty acids in your daily diet check out our blog post on Fatty Acids.2

Get a minimum of 4 hours of exercise per week – aim for a minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week for optimal health. Some experts recommend yoga to breast cancer patients, as the practice of yoga can ease anxiety, depression, and stress.

Researchers and medical professionals suggest that cancer survivors eat a variety of antioxidant-rich foods each day (since cancer survivors can be at an increased risk of developing new cancers).

Diet and Yoga and Decreasing Stress:

Regardless of whether you are an individual with breast cancer, in remission from breast cancer, or woman trying to reduce your risk, the message is to maintain an active life while consuming a largely plant based diet with a focus on consuming omega 3 fatty acids like salmon, trout and sardines. Find ways to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables such as joining a community agriculture share. Be sure to try the many different forms of yoga for a form of movement and as way to decrease stress. To help manage insulin levels, focus on eating carbohydrates, proteins and fats at each meal and two of the three at snacks. This will slow the absorption of the carbohydrates thereby preventing a high blood sugar and insulin surge. Start with small goals and build upon them each week.

What’s your favorite recipe high in antioxidants? What is your favorite way to decreases stress? Do you have a favorite app that helps you achieve optimal wellness?

Before you reach for a bottle of vitamins, look for a more holistic approach with nutrition expert, Registered Dietitian Laura Cipullo. Along with Jeff Halevy, Laura reveals a few key foods that are high in fiber, heart healthy, and offer a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. And if you’re confused about omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids, Laura will also clarify the confusion. From olives to collard greens, tune in to find out which foods will help your start living a happy, healthy lifestyle!

If you have trouble viewing Workout from Within – Girl’s Night In, click here.

I am a person who absolutely loves to try to new things. I am always up for the excitement of a fresh adventure. That’s why I immediately said yes when my friend Jaime asked me to join her at a new class. Thinking I would be attending a different kind of spin class, I quickly grabbed my spin shoes and headed out. Well…perhaps I should have given some thought to the name of the place I was going! “Chaise 23” is definitely not a new place to spin. Rather, think Pilates chair (aka “chaise”) meets aerobics on 23rd Street in New York City. Well, needless to say, I am totally hooked. I’ve taken four of their classes…and just purchased a ten pack! Three of the four classes incorporate the Pilates chair plus bungees. Honestly, working my arms with bungees is the very best part. I must admit that my arms are not my most favorite part of my body! And I can’t stand working them because I always end up clenching my neck. And then I go home suffering with a stiff, painful neck. The bungees have provided me with an exactly opposite outcome. We work with bungee cords throughout the entire class—and they help me to painlessly access and exercise many more muscles under my arms.

The most humorous and challenging of the classes is “ballet bungee.” There is no chair; you just move like a ballet dancer with bungees. Nonstop! Um…I thought I was quite fit until I participated in this class. Thank goodness I arrived late to class; I honestly don’t know if I could have made it through the entire session. The cardio workout was positively incredible. I plan to wear my heart rate monitor (a recent birthday gift from friends) next time! These classes are such great fun—very different and much cheaper than regular Pilates classes.

The following weekend we headed out to Eastern Long Island to spend some time with friends. Previously, I had introduced my friends to Soul Cycle; this time they asked me if I was up for something new. So… I joined them at their favorite spin place—Fly Wheel. If you are competitive, need to be pushed or just want to be accountable, spin at Fly Wheel. Men and women are ranked individually by torque (speed and resistance) on a monitor for all to see! This class was definitely not about losing yourself in the movement; rather, it was a breath-stealing race from beginning to end. It definitely made me work harder than I usually do. I earned a 230 torque though I don’t think my performance served as a stress reliever. This class is a totally competitive race to the finish line. And it really gets your heart pumping. I promise that I will be back, but I’ll save it for East End weekends rather than making it part of my weekly movement routine.

Last but not least is my absolute new favorite—paddleboard yoga. Talk about core work, stress relief and chirping birds! Let me explain. For Fathers’ Day Weekend, we headed out to the Tides Inn in Irvington, VA. When my husband said he had signed us up for paddleboard yoga, I was downright excited. I have wanted to try this type of yoga for the past two years. We enthusiastically arrived at the marina—promptly at 10 o’clock Saturday morning—and went looking for our instructor. As I sat by the water watching a father and son come in off their boards, I started to get nervous. I knew swimming was not my strong suit, but even more important, I wondered how I could do yoga in a life jacket? And then I thought: It’s so extremely hot, perhaps falling into the water may be a refreshing outcome! Well, I started off on my board kneeling and practicing my paddling. The paddling was quite easy for me because I can paddle a canoe. After a few minutes, the instructor joined us and told me I could stand. And yes, I could stand up… very easily. My husband, the instructor and I paddled over to a part of the bay that was a bit calmer, set anchor (literally) and then our yoga movements began.

Our instructor was phenomenal; neither one of us fell in. We were both able to end our practice with the wheel pose and then finally rest in shavasana—the corpse pose. While quietly lying there, I just listened to the birds chirping and felt more at ease than I ever have…even after any yoga class. Something about being on the water—just you and your board—getting little splashes of water while the sun beats down on you is absolutely beautiful. My yoga practice was 100% about the practice.

My mind never wandered; I was intent on focusing in my core for balance and, of course, not falling in the water. But it wasn’t fear-based; rather, it made me work from the inside out. If I was sloppy or tried to move without intention, I would fall in. Looking within yourself to find the movement was awe-inspiring and humbling…and very easy to do on this board. After we’d finished and paddled back to the marina, I just let myself enjoy a sheer sense of happiness. I had finally gotten to perform paddleboard yoga and I can’t wait to do it again. I highly recommend that you try it too. By the way, this extraordinary activity was free to overnight guests at the inn.

What are your new favorite moves? Any classes I should try? Where is your favorite place to do yoga?

Switch up your fitness routine with an exciting class that combines cardio-dance, yoga grooves and mantras that you say OUT LOUD while you are moving! Shrink Session allows you to sweat your way to your most confident, powerful self. While you are working your way to a tighter tush and more toned body, you are also sending a new message of love, gratitude and joy to every cell of your body. As you experience yourself moving into new territories of what you ever believed was possible, remember that all bodies are wonderful no matter what!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

One lucky winner will receive online access to a full Shrink Session workout!

Enter by one of the following ways. You can submit more than one entry by doing any of the following. Just be sure to leave an additional comment letting us know you did! Good luck!

Follow @MomDishesItOutandtweet @MomDishesItOut is having a Shrink Session #Giveaway
We’d love to hear about what ways you like to stay physically active and moving!. Giveaway ends on Sunday, June 23rd at 6:00 PM EST.

In the meantime… for a power pick-me-up and a sneak peek of the workout, you can also visit www.shrinksessionworkout.com and sign up to receive a FREE 15 min workout delivered straight to your inbox!

BIO:

Erin Stutland is a lifestyle and fitness coach and the creator of Shrink Session: Tone Your Body, Expand Your Mind. As a former professional dancer turned actress, Erin has guest starred on The Soprano’s, Chappelles Show, Sex and the City and more. She combined her love for movement, spirituality and self development into a unique fitness class that has impacted people all over the world.

Shrink Session, now an official class at Crunch Gyms, has been featured in Glamour Magazine, Daily Candy, Shape.com., Hello Giggles, Crazy Sexy Life and reaches people in their homes in Australia, Tokyo, the UK and all over the United States.

Erin runs a coaching business where she has the opportunity to help women create movement in their bodies and their lives. She is passionate about guiding creative entrepreneurs and artists to clarify an ideal visions for their lives and then make a plan of action to get there. She does this and everything with a sense of humor, ease and a touch of sass, because going for your dreams should be nothing short of a good time.

To help build healthy habits, center this Father’s Day on fun activities rather than just food. Pick out a few activities that you and your dad can enjoy together. Remember, the best gifts aren’t always bought–Sometimes Dad just wants to spend quality time with his family! June has the perfect summertime weather to fit in some outdoor activities. We’ve gathered a list of fun activities (both indoor and outdoor) to keep you both healthy and happy!

Cycling – Stay moving under the sun for a cool breeze. Cycling isn’t just for those who live in the suburbs…if you live in bustling city like NYC, you’ve probably seen the new Citi bikes. Rent them out for the day and ride along the Hudson Pier or make it an adventure over the Brooklyn Bridge!

Fishing – Grab a fishing pole and head towards the water. This is a relaxing activity to do whether you’re on a boat or sitting by the lake!

Hiking – Whether it’s extreme hiking or climbing up a trail, this will be a great time to connect with your dad. Pack lunches into a backpack and enjoy it with a great view.

Cooking Class – Switch up the focus on food this holiday by getting dad to cook with you! Book a class that teaches how to make foods from his favorite cuisine. This will give Dad an opportunity to pick up some new skills and if he’s already a chef in the kitchen… well, it’ll give him a chance to spice up his skills!

Beach – Nestle your toes in the sand and under the sun by traveling to the beach. Pack a frisbee and football or volleyball and you and the family are sure to have a great time.